The present invention relates generally to automobile spring suspensions and more particularly is adapted to a universal stabilizer suitable for attachment to most passenger car rear suspension springs.
It is the usual practice to isolate the rear axle of an automobile from the frame of the vehicle by supporting the axle in a multi-leaf type spring which is suspended between a forward bearing bracket and a rearward spring shackle whereby most imperfections in the road surface can be absorbed by the wheel and the spring construction and not transmitted to the automobile passenger compartment through the frame. The multi-leaf type of spring is characterized by a plurality of stacked leafs, usually four or five in number which decrease in length away from the base or mounting leaf in the form of a truncated triangular configuration. The axle suspension connects to the thickest or highest part of the multi-leaf spring to achieve maximum support.
Occasionally, when a vehicle was utilized to carry especially heavy loads, the existing springs had a tendency to sag, or to flex sufficiently to permit "bottoming." Also, upon unusual wear or unusual surface conditions, the existing springs could allow "forward pitch" or "nose dive" of the vehicle, all to the discomfort of the passengers.
In order to bolster overload or sagging springs, prior workers in the art have developed stabilizer constructions for connection to the existing springs. Such stabilizers normally could not be designed as full length equipment inasmuch as installation usually was not possible without disturbing the existing suspension. Because of this inability to provide a single stabilizer suitable for use with the most commonly employed passenger car spring suspension systems, most prior workers in the art developed individual, separate, front and rear stabilizers which were designed to connect to the multileaf spring both forwardly of the axle and rearwardly of the axle in two separate, discrete stabilizer systems.
Because, the prior shock absorber or axle mountings usually included various fastening constructions affixed to the bottom of the leaf spring such as by spring clips, a single, universal, stabilizer of wide usage with most automobiles could not be developed due to the varying configurations. In the past several years, the shock mounting of most passenger cars has changed and the longest or base leaf of the spring is usually unencumbered. The present invention is fully adaptable for use with such modern suspension systems and provides adequate clearance for existing U-bolts and shock brackets and can be readily secured to stabilize the passenger car multi-leaf spring system without disturbing the existing suspension.